The teachers take history off the page and make it real again during an interactive unit on the Underground Railroad that puts fifth graders into a role-playing game where Union soldiers try to smuggle slaves — represented by dolls — to freedom, while Confederate soldiers try to recapture the dolls as they make their way north.

This production, which debuted at Philadelphia’s FringeArts festival, was named one of the best theater productions of 2016 — “the year’s most resounding testament to theater’s continuing power to shock” — by the New York Times. “A riveting, whip-smart performance piece…as daringly unexpurgated as anything you’ll encounter onstage today. It’s an effort to reset the table for the complicated conversation about race that America eternally attempts to start, and always ends up recoiling from in guilt and insecurity and anger.” (Washington Post)

Artist Q&A. Wednesday, January 17. In conjunction with opening night No Safety Net performances, join us for post-performance artist Q&As to get a glimpse into the lives and minds of the artists who bring their creativity to the stage.

Saturday Night Community Dialogues. Saturday, January 20. After the Saturday night performance of Underground Railroad Game, join us for a community dialogue hosted by Jim Leija (UMS Director of Education & Community Engagement) and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg and Professor of Theatre, SUNY New Paltz). Jim and Martine will be joined by several community leaders to engage audience members in discussion around the themes of each performance. The floor will be open to reflect on, discuss, analyze, and respond to the performance you’ve just experience. If you’re attending the performance on a different date, you are welcome to join the post-performance discussion on Saturday evening (just bring your ticket stub).

FUNDED IN PART BY

By Jennifer Kidwell and Scott Sheppard,
with Lightning Rod Special
Directed by Taibi Magar

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The teachers take history off the page and make it real again during an interactive unit on the Underground Railroad that puts fifth graders into a role-playing game where Union soldiers try to smuggle slaves — represented by dolls — to freedom, while Confederate soldiers try to recapture the dolls as they make their way north.

This production, which debuted at Philadelphia’s FringeArts festival, was named one of the best theater productions of 2016 — “the year’s most resounding testament to theater’s continuing power to shock” — by the New York Times. “A riveting, whip-smart performance piece…as daringly unexpurgated as anything you’ll encounter onstage today. It’s an effort to reset the table for the complicated conversation about race that America eternally attempts to start, and always ends up recoiling from in guilt and insecurity and anger.” (Washington Post)

Artist Q&A. Wednesday, January 17. In conjunction with opening night No Safety Net performances, join us for post-performance artist Q&As to get a glimpse into the lives and minds of the artists who bring their creativity to the stage.

Saturday Night Community Dialogues. Saturday, January 20. After the Saturday night performance of Underground Railroad Game, join us for a community dialogue hosted by Jim Leija (UMS Director of Education & Community Engagement) and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg and Professor of Theatre, SUNY New Paltz). Jim and Martine will be joined by several community leaders to engage audience members in discussion around the themes of each performance. The floor will be open to reflect on, discuss, analyze, and respond to the performance you’ve just experience. If you’re attending the performance on a different date, you are welcome to join the post-performance discussion on Saturday evening (just bring your ticket stub).